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January 11, 2015

In the light of the terrible events last week in Paris, we have a few words about the Charlie Hebdo attack. Difficult to say anything new but we try.

Jim Murphy has also been explaining at length his strategy for the Scottish Labour Party. Lesley has some views on the details as they arise. As promised, we also broadened our reading this week and dipped into the 'What Doctors Don't Tell You' publication.

As mentioned on 'Question Time', TV Leaders' Debates - Lesley Wrote about it in the Sunday Post and explains a little bit more.

Finally, we finish a windy podcast with a review of 'From Scotland With Love'. Yes - it really was that windy in the pod this week.

January 09, 2015

I’m writing for the National newspaper every Thursday -- a great bargain at 50p pence a copy or subscribe at www.thenational.scot. Anyway I'm planning to highlight a Westminster related issue each week that may not get much attention from the politicians whether it's in the news or (more likely) not – and in alphabetical order.This may be a crazy off-piste journey and doubtless it will occasionally run aground. (suggestions welcome)But yesterday was not A for Accident and Emergency -- cross border comparisons of staffing, shortages, waiting times and funding are hard to make and responsibility even harder to allocate since health spending has been devolved. Doubtless T for TTIP will prove a more relevant test. Instead A was for Authority. Westminster may still (regretfully) rule over post referendum Scotland, but its authority lies in tatters. Respect for the “Mother of Parliaments” is evaporating fast north and south of the border and however hard David Cameron tries to blame Europe, immigration and the European Convention on Human Rights for the Commons decline, it’s clear the institution is responsible for much of its own diminished status. Exorbitant pay rises, the expenses scandal, alleged paedophile ring and cover-up, continued existence of the House of Lords, failure to embrace PR in favour of apathy, skewed voting and unpopular coalition-crating first past the post voting and, of course Project Fear – all are testimony to Westminster’s abject failure to innovate or democratise governance. Strangely though, the most obvious place its fallen stock can be measured is in reaction to the latest New Year’s Honours. Welsh Labour MP Paul Flynn said they were “crammed with rewards for failed politicians, civil service time-servers & gong-hungry sycophants. Cameron re-invented & degraded political honours in 2011 [with] a whips committee dishing out gongs to obedient party hacks. Top gong now is HRH - Has Refused Honour.” Amen. I’ve never understood how an Order or Medal of the British Empire can instil pride amongst recipients when it recalls decades of inglorious imperial domination that are mercifully over. Now it seems, many prestigious Britons agree.......................

And you can read the rest (including Jean Urquhart MSP's bold stance on her MBE) by SUBSCRIBING!!! Come on folks. 1.6 million voted Yes but this plucky wee title hasnt got a fraction of that number subscribing -- yet.

January 04, 2015

In the first podcast of 2015, we talk Michael Marra tribute nights , @AMWWFmusic , Hogmanay travels, the lore of Australia for young Scots, honours, and our plans for the 2015 podcasts.

Chris talks to Angie Porter, the Director of the Glasgow School of Sport about the Commonwealth Games and 'legacy'. Lesley explains the appeal of 'Frozen'. And to think we thought, we would just nip in and do a short one.

January 01, 2015

In the final part of our podcast review of 2014, we tackle 'T to Z'. From tourism through to the crowd sourced 'Z', we also salute our listeners, 'Yes' shops ( various ) and the joys of Wiston Lodge and much more besides.

Although, this has been a four part series, there have been many people, places, events and topics which we could have mentioned but sadly, there wasn't enough time. However, the archive material is there for everyone to enjoy - please listen to what interests you.

And on the subject of 2015 - we will be back in the swing of things by Monday 12th January.

December 31, 2014

In the third of the series of 2014 Reviews, we travel from M to S. We start with an example of 'M' and touch on politicians, newspapers, 'Question Times', boat festivals , TV stations and programmes as we finally land on 'S'. As you can imagine, there is a fair bit of referendum but more happened. It is also worth pointing out that all the Lesley Riddoch podcasts are still there in the archive for you to download and listen to. So, if there is a topic you want to hear more about from 2014, please search the archive, it's bound to be there.

The final part of the 2014 Review will be posted on New Year's Day 2015, when we surface. So have a a happy Hogmanay and all the best for 2015 from us to you.

December 26, 2014

In the second 2014 Review podcast, we tackle G to L. From Gordon to Land Reform via Norway, huts and 'everything is awesome'. We discover why musicians vote the way they do and the problems with brothers.

December 24, 2014

This special @lesleyriddoch podcast series tries to cram the year into A to Z. This episode concentrates on A to F; from MPs in boiler suits to villages with big impacts. We also learn why Brian Cox is a sweet heart and which MEP Lesley went to school with. Alloa, Bella Caledonia, Commonwealth Games, Co-op Farmers and more are here in the first of this series of holiday break podcasts.

December 22, 2014

This week's podcast reflects on a week of 2 Common Weal meetings in Aberdeen and Leith and 2 Women for Independence meetings in Dalkeith and Edinburgh. The topic of the new women's prison in Inverclyde was raised and Lesley wrote about it in the Sunday Post.

December 17, 2014

It is on sale now. It is £5.99 and it's a post referendum update for folk who already have Blossom – but should make an interesting read in its own right too. Available at all good bookshops and some 'Yes shops' now. Or if you want signed copy then please send £7 to 'Lesley Riddoch , Jamesfield Farmhouse, Newburgh , Fife, KY14 6EW.

There will be an official 'launch' of Wee White Blossom on January 20 2015. Details will be confirmed nearer this date.